Head of Human Resources Location: Chicago, IL About the Opportunity The Christopher Group is partnering with a nationally recognized, mission-driven nonprofit organization seeking a Head of Human Resources to help lead the next phase of organizational growth and transformation. This executive leadership role serves as a trusted advisor to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team and will be responsible for shaping enterprise people strategy, strengthening organizational effectiveness, and modernizing the Human Resources function during a pivotal period of change. This is an opportunity for an HR executive who enjoys building organizational capability, influencing executive decision-making, and leading through transformation while supporting a highly respected organization with a meaningful national impact. The Opportunity Reporting to the CEO, the Head of HR will lead a team of approximately eight HR professionals spanning Talent Management, Organizational Development, Talent Acquisition, HR Operations, HRIS, Payroll, Benefits, and Learning & Development. The successful candidate will serve as a strategic partner across the organization while balancing enterprise strategy with operational execution. This leader will play a key role in helping the organization evolve its culture, strengthen leadership capability, improve organizational effectiveness, and ensure HR is positioned as a strategic business partner across the enterprise. Key Responsibilities
- Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership on organizational design, culture, leadership effectiveness, succession planning, and workforce strategy.
- Lead enterprise Human Resources strategy across Talent Acquisition, Talent Management, Organizational Development, Total Rewards, HR Operations, Learning & Development, HRIS, and Employee Relations.
- Drive organizational planning initiatives including workforce planning, succession planning, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness.
- Evaluate and modernize HR programs, policies, and processes to improve efficiency, consistency, and employee experience.
- Lead compensation and benefits strategy, ensuring market competitiveness and regulatory compliance.
- Partner with executive leadership and the Board on executive compensation, governance, and people-related initiatives.
- Champion leadership development, performance management, employee engagement, and talent development programs.
- Oversee employee relations, compliance, investigations, and employment practices while fostering a positive and accountable workplace culture.
- Build strong relationships across all levels of the organization while leading through influence and collaboration. What Success Looks Like The successful candidate will:
- Establish themselves as a trusted advisor to the executive leadership team.
- Strengthen organizational culture while helping lead enterprise transformation.
- Modernize HR practices, systems, and processes.
- Build leadership capability throughout the organization.
- Create scalable talent strategies that support long-term organizational objectives.
- Enhance organizational effectiveness while balancing strategic priorities with day-to-day operational excellence.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Ideal Background Successful candidates will likely bring:
- 15+ years of progressive Human Resources leadership experience, including enterprise HR strategy.
- Experience leading multiple HR Centers of Excellence, including Talent Management, Organizational Development, Total Rewards, HR Operations, and Talent Acquisition.
- Demonstrated success partnering with executive leadership teams and Boards of Directors.
- Strong background leading organizational transformation, culture initiatives, and leadership development.
- Experience managing compensation, benefits, performance management, succession planning, and organizational design.
- Strong executive presence with the ability to influence across all levels of an organization.
- Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
- Experience within healthcare, nonprofit, higher education, or similarly mission-driven organizations is beneficial but not required.